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The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office says it is investigating four recent deaths suspected to be tied to the high temperatures Portland saw in recent days.
Much remains unclear about the deaths, which the county says are under investigation and might end up having had other causes. But for now, health officials say they suspect the deaths were connected to temperatures in the area, which approached triple-digits Monday, following a weekend of unrelenting daytime heat.
The first death suspected of being caused by the heat was that of a 47-year-old man who investigators say “was witnessed dying” on Monday in Northeast Portland.
The second death was that of a 64-year-old man found Monday in East Portland.
The third death was that of a 70-year-old woman found Monday in the Gresham area.
The fourth death was that of an 82-year-old woman found Monday in the Goose Hollow area.
For context, from 2022 to 2025, officials tallied 16 confirmed heat-related deaths in Multnomah County. The deceased, health officials say, were mostly men, single, older than 60 and had underlying conditions. It says the overwhelming majority were housed when they died.
Heat deaths became a major issue in Multnomah County in 2021, when officials reported that 69 people in Multnomah County died as a result of a massive late June heatwave in which temperatures reached 116 degrees.
Earlier, with high temps in the forecast the county had said it would wait to decide before the day the heat hit whether to open cooling shelters. The county activated cooling centers Monday.
